Chords in the key of Bb minor
The key of Bb minor has seven diatonic chords: BbmBbmBbmBbm, C°, Db, EbmEbmEbmEbm, FmFmFmFm, Gb and Ab. As sevenths: Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7, Cm7b5, Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7, Ebm7Ebm7Ebm7Ebm7, Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7, Gbmaj7Gbmaj7Gbmaj7Gbmaj7 and Ab7Ab7Ab7Ab7. They come from the Bb natural minor scale, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb and Ab, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | BbmBbmBbmBbm | Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7 | tonic |
| ii° | C° | Cm7b5 | subdominant |
| III | DbDbDbDb | Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7 | tonic |
| iv | EbmEbmEbmEbm | Ebm7Ebm7Ebm7Ebm7 | subdominant |
| v | FmFmFmFm | Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7 | dominant |
| VI | GbGbGbGb | Gbmaj7Gbmaj7Gbmaj7Gbmaj7 | subdominant |
| VII | AbAbAbAb | Ab7Ab7Ab7Ab7 | subdominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.
These are the chords of the natural minor scale. In practice the v often becomes V (major) or V7, borrowed from the harmonic minor, to create the leading tone that pulls back to the tonic.